Without warning the federal Drug Enforcement Administration conducted surprise inspections Sunday, visiting multiple NFL teams, targeting the medical and training staffs. They questioned doctors and talked to personnel in an effort to determine whether they violated federal drug laws governing the handling and distribution of prescription painkillers.
The inspections were motivated by allegations raised in a May 2014 federal lawsuit, filed on behalf of several prominent NFL players, who allege team physicians and trainers routinely gave them painkillers in an illegal manner to mask injuries and keep them on the field.
The 49ers, Buccaneers and Seahawks have confirmed they were visited by DEA agents after Sunday's games.
"What we were told was they are random checks of team physicians as they travel to see if anyone is transporting controlled substances across state lines," 49ers spokesman Bob Lange said after Sunday's game against the Giants. "The 49ers medical staff complied and the team departed the stadium as scheduled."
Under the federal Controlled Substances Act, doctors cannot give players prescription drugs like Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin, outside of the facilities where they are registered with the DEA to prescribe those controlled substances and trainers are not permitted under the federal drug laws to ever provide prescription medications to players.
Scary to see the DEA moving in without warning but it seems like the teams didn't have anything, at least not yet. This is going to put teams on high alert moving forward and expect the NFL to be on its best behavior at least on the drug front.

It is about time. I think it's a disgrace there's a class action going with over 1,200 plaintiffs, reaching back as far as almost 5 decades ago. There must be a major problem in the NFL if there's that big a movement to expose it. I really don't like the NFL culture, and they've blown by a lot of big moments. Their stars have also gotten slaps on the wrist for stuff you & I would be forced to serve years for. Hope the DEA exposes something big.